My Favorite Christmas Poem

During the holidays, my mother has a lovely way of decorating her home so that you feel as though you're stepping into a fairy wonderland of pure, childish delight.  Her attention to detail, lighting, sparkle, and whimsy greet you at every twist and turn... magical vistas everywhere!  

One of my favorite magic touches is a poem... a poem placed in a beautiful frame that sits on her library table in the living room.   And when I am lucky enough to go home for the holidays, this poem seems to beckon me.  As I walk by it, I feel its energy call out to me, always touching me deeply as if I'm reading it for the first time.  I am awed over and over again by its simple and poignant articulation of how the power of the universe lives the human experience.

Birthday Reflections and a Rampage of Thankfulness

Last week Friday was my 45th birthday, and a very good day it was.  I find closure in taking a few minutes around my birthday to look back and assess each year's experiences.  I remember my gains and losses, summarize the year, and then let it go.  So this year I took some time to revisit my 44th year, but I found that my reflections left me with mixed emotions about how well it had gone.

Don't Forget to Breathe with the Holidays!

James Island County Park
Festival of Lights Holiday Card

The other night I had a crazy, fierce allergy attack.  Some innocent, unknowing little allergen particle floated far up into my nasal cavity and reaped havoc on my being.  I was sneezing with such force that it literally almost knocked me off my chair.  One violent sneeze after another, sometimes 20 in a row, brought me down like a sick buffalo.